ORGANISERS of the bid to have the Victorian Goldfields included on the World Heritage List say the region's involvement in the 2026 Commonwealth Games are a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase central Victoria to the world.
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The decades-old bid to have the Goldfields recognised on the UNESCO World Heritage List gathered new momentum in 2019.
The bid is a partnership between the Victorian Goldfields Tourism Executive and 13 regional councils including the City of Greater Bendigo.
VGTE chair and Central Goldfields Shire mayor Chris Meddows-Taylor said even if the bid wasn't approved by the time the 2026 Regional Victorian Commonwealth Games arrived, towns and cities involved in it could realise significant benefits.
"With Bendigo and Ballarat as two of the key (Commonwealth Games) locations, along with other the towns in the world heritage listing area, there is an opportunity to promote the places, journeys and places of significance (in the Goldfields).
"People do ask how long will it take to get the whole process through. It's going to take another three or four years but that doesn't mean the benefits can't start now.
"We start promoting how unique we are, we have had an international expert out to confirm it.
"The drum roll starts now and we definitely want to focus on the Commonwealth Games so we can say 'we are here, come and spend time with us'."
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Cr Meddows-Taylor said part of the listing would involve developing journeys that showcased many parts of the Victorian Goldfields.
"We have a lot documented and journeys in place that are absolutely underlined as opportunities to connect the bid with the Commonwealth Games," he said.
"It's a fantastic, unique opportunity to get increased visitation and benefits to a recovering industry.
"We want travel journeys that build on the gastronomy theme in Bendigo and Ballarat being the city of creativity. We can build on the arts and cultural heritage themes and take people around the whole region to smaller places not on the main track that are doing it a bit tough."
Cr Meddows-Taylor said the team behind the bid was hopeful of hearing news on their application for $500,000 state government funding through Regional Development Victoria.
The bid partnership has already committed $125,000 to develop a masterplan for the bid.
"The funding last year was to really develop a base study for the masterplan for the whole area," he said. "We also need to do more work on-site identification.
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"All local councils are doing work now for the potential locations. Experts will decide sites but it could be 15 or 20 sites around the area.
"We also have a session with [minister for regional development] Mary-Anne Thomas to discuss our plans to the world heritage bid and the importance we place on it. We are also hoping a favourable decision for the $500,000 application will be announced."
Cr Meddows-Taylor said leadership from the Bendigo and Ballarat councils had helped the bid progress.
"I have to give full credit to the City of Greater Bendigo, they have put resources into (the bid), as has Ballarat and the others," he said. "But it is a credit to leadership of the two big cities - Bendigo and Ballarat. They have led the charge and are doing brilliantly.
"This bid is more than a quick tourism buck, it preserves a lot of heritage. That was the original reason for wanting the world heritage listing."
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